NEW DELHI: The England Cricket Regulator has imposed a fine of 100,000 pounds ($132,190) on Essex County Cricket Club after the club admitted to failing to address systemic racism and discrimination between 2001 and 2010.
The charge was brought against Essex in June following an investigation by the independent Cricket Regulator, which operates separately from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), reported Reuters.
The decision was announced by an independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel after a sanctions hearing.
The panel stated, “Essex County Cricket Club has admitted a charge in breach of Directive 3.3, in relation to the systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language and/or conduct during the period between 2001 and 2010 which Essex failed to address.”
In addition to the fine, half of which is suspended for two years, the panel also issued a caution and reprimand to the club. Essex has the right to appeal the decision until October 2.
Dave Lewis, the interim director of the Cricket Regulator, described the racism experienced at Essex as “abhorrent” and praised the bravery of those who spoke out about the abuse they endured.
He expressed hope that the prosecution would prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future and ensure that racism is never normalized.
Lewis also acknowledged that the sanctions were determined after a lengthy and intricate investigation, taking into account Essex’s guilty plea and the significant steps the club has already taken to become more inclusive.
This decision follows a similar case last year, in which Yorkshire County Cricket Club was fined 400,000 pounds and faced a 48-point deduction in the County Championship for their handling of racism allegations made by former England Under-19s captain Azeem Rafiq.
Rafiq, who is of Pakistani descent, had testified before a British parliamentary committee in 2021 about the “inhuman” treatment and institutional racism he experienced at Yorkshire.
The charge was brought against Essex in June following an investigation by the independent Cricket Regulator, which operates separately from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), reported Reuters.
The decision was announced by an independent Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel after a sanctions hearing.
The panel stated, “Essex County Cricket Club has admitted a charge in breach of Directive 3.3, in relation to the systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language and/or conduct during the period between 2001 and 2010 which Essex failed to address.”
In addition to the fine, half of which is suspended for two years, the panel also issued a caution and reprimand to the club. Essex has the right to appeal the decision until October 2.
Dave Lewis, the interim director of the Cricket Regulator, described the racism experienced at Essex as “abhorrent” and praised the bravery of those who spoke out about the abuse they endured.
He expressed hope that the prosecution would prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future and ensure that racism is never normalized.
Lewis also acknowledged that the sanctions were determined after a lengthy and intricate investigation, taking into account Essex’s guilty plea and the significant steps the club has already taken to become more inclusive.
This decision follows a similar case last year, in which Yorkshire County Cricket Club was fined 400,000 pounds and faced a 48-point deduction in the County Championship for their handling of racism allegations made by former England Under-19s captain Azeem Rafiq.
Rafiq, who is of Pakistani descent, had testified before a British parliamentary committee in 2021 about the “inhuman” treatment and institutional racism he experienced at Yorkshire.
